Simple ways to make your own coffee table book
Want to add colour, interest and style to your living room? Find out why you should make your own coffee table book.
If you love interiors you’re probably always looking for new ideas to update your decor. Find out how easy it is to make your own coffee table book, and why you should consider doing so.
What is a coffee table book?
You’re probably already very familiar with the idea of a coffee table book. But in case not, in simple terms, a coffee table book is an oversized, usually hardbound printed book. It is designed to be displayed on a coffee table, and for flicking through.
Because of this, most of coffee table books are pictorial, and usually contain many high quality photographs and illustrations. Coffee table books are also known as cocktail books.
Simple ways to make your own coffee table book
Most people buy coffee tables printed by publishers. But did you know you can make your own? So rather than perusing artistic interiors or someone else’s photos, you can browse through a collection of your own creations or memories, and share them with any guests who visit you home.
A personalised coffee table book can also make a great present for a close friend or family member, or an idea wedding gift. Or you can use it to showcase your knowledge on a specific subject.
To create your own coffee table book there are a number of steps you need to follow.
Choose the them for your coffee table book
Before you can start assembling content for your coffee table book, you first need to pick a theme for it. For example, let’s say you enjoy reading about different celebrated personalities, and have researched the subject. In this case your go-to coffee table book may be a fine hardbound “Vanity Fair 100 Years: From the Jazz Age to Our Age”.
Prepare enough high quality photographs for your coffee table book
Once you have a subject, you next need enough high quality content to fill it. Many photos in coffee table books are large in size, and to print high quality photos, all photos should be high-resolution. So you need to have images that are high enough in quality.
They images also need to fit well together as a group, or tell a story. You also need to have enough of them – it would be a sparse coffee table book if it only contained three photos! So, for example, if you love to travel and want to create a coffee table book about your adventures, make sure you have enough photos of your trips to fill it.
You don’t need to edit your photographs, as professional printing agencies, will use your high-definition images in your coffee table book exactly the way you want.
Write the text for your coffee table book
As well as images, your coffee table book needs text to explain the context of the images and tell the story. So think about what you want to say. Why did you decide to choose this subject? What is the story behind your images? Just as your images need to be high quality, your writing needs to be considered and well-written. And don’t forget to proof read for mistakes before publishing!
Design your coffee table book
When it comes to designing artwork for printing your coffee table book you’ll need to use software like Adobe InDesign software. This software is very easy to use, and can be used to create different works, such as posters, brochures, magazines, presentations, books, etc. You can either download it, or get a subscription on a monthly basis.
Get in touch with a professional printing agency
You’ll be looking at your finished coffee table book for months or even years to come, so it’s important not to skimp on the printing stage. Professional agencies play a significant role in making your own coffee table book. So do your research and find a company who provides a high quality end product for a reasonable price.
Expert printing agencies will allow you to be creative with your styling, and they can print voluminous books (up to 648 pages) on a high-quality page and cover.
Showcase your aesthetic taste in styling coffee table books
As mentioned above, with expert printing agencies you can be creative with your design. So really go to town with your styling, especially on the cover. After all, you’re going to be looking at it on your coffee table, as are your guests!
Think about all the tiny details, such as font, size, and even the dimensions of your coffee table book. A tip that you can incorporate in styling your book is to keep in mind the dimension you want to display your books. It will help you to choose the size of your books.
The top four reasons why you need to make your own coffee table book
As you can see, creating your own coffee table book is absolutely do-able. You just need to choose your theme, find some beautiful images, write your text, find a great printing agency and design your cover. If you still need convincing to give it a go, here are four reasons why you need to make your own coffee table book.
1) A beautifully presented coffee table book showcases your personality and style
When designing the interior decor in your home, you effectively decorate it with your character. Your aesthetic choices are a reflection of your personality and style. And a coffee table book is no different. You get to make all the design and content choices, making it the perfect reflection of ‘you’.
Your guests can admire it and flick through it and get to know you better. They’ll follow your story, browse your images and get more of a sense of who you are.
2) It brings colour and interest to your living room
Speaking of decor, a beautifully designed coffee table book can make a great accent feature for your living room – especially if you design it with your living room in mind. You can make your coffee table book as vibrant and eye catching as you like… or minimal and cool if that is a better fit for your style. It’s completely up to you!
3) It helps you to style your home’s interior
Many people buy coffee table books not because they’re keen to read or browse the contents, but because they want to add colour or style to their home. So think about how a coffee table book can help you style your home. Will it make a great accompaniment to a vase you own? Will it add height and interest to your coffee table? Don’t consider it in isolation – think of it as part of your home.
4) It’s low maintenance
Another benefit of a coffee table book is that it is a low maintenance accessory for your living room. It doesn’t require arranging like a vase of flowers, or watering like a plant. As long as you keep it out of direct sunlight (unless you want your cover to fade) your coffee table book is happy with just a flick of a duster when cleaning your living room.
